A MAN who temporarily blinded a police helicopter pilot by shining a laser pen into the cockpit has been jailed for four months.
Father of five Peter Newsham, 44, of Winterford Avenue, Manchester, admitted recklessly endangering an aircraft when he appeared at Manchester ' s Minshull Street Crown Court.
The pilot, Captain Mark Westwood, said he had been dazzled by a brilliant green beam as he flew above Reddish, Stockport, in April.
The light left him unable to read his instruments or see reference points outside the aircraft. He was forced to manoeuvre the craft while temporarily blinded to escape the line of the beam. It was shone into the cockpit at least three times, he said.
Newsham admitted shining the £15 laser pen, which had a range of 6,000ft, into the skies to show his 11-year-old son what it could do.
But he said he had not seen the helicopter, although he had heard an aircraft above.
Judge Adrian Smith, sentencing, said Newsham's actions could have had 'fatal' and 'catastrophic' consequences, both for the three-man crew and the people on the ground below in a built-up urban area.
He accepted Newsham was an industrious family man, but said he must serve four months as a deterrent to others.
Earlier this year, Dean Bottomley, 21, was also jailed for four months after shining a similar pen at the same Greater Manchester Police helicopter.
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Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (25/09/2008 at 15:07)
Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (25/09/2008 at 15:08)
Guten Tag (25/09/2008 at 15:53)
Pandora (25/09/2008 at 16:04)
Mr Humphries, I'm free, BIG BLUE CITY. The Arabian Knight, Sharif Azul Celeste, Manchester (25/09/2008 at 16:31)
smarty pants, stretford (25/09/2008 at 16:37)
Paul B (25/09/2008 at 16:48)
Mr Humphries, I'm free, BIG BLUE CITY. The Arabian Knight, Sharif Azul Celeste, Manchester (25/09/2008 at 17:47)
These laser pens are useless?, why don’t the people who use them go and do something useful, like sticking their tongue on a red hot 100 watt light bulb.
The name LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
A laser pointer is a portable, pen-sized laser designed to be held in the hand, and most commonly used to project a point of light to highlight items of interest during a presentation. Most laser pointers have low enough power that the projected beam presents a minimal hazard to eyes for incidental exposure. A beam of light is not in itself visible from the side, but only by light scattered by dust particles; the small width of the beam and low power of typical laser pointers makes the beam itself invisible in a reasonably clean atmosphere, showing a point of light when impinging on an opaque surface. Some higher powered laser pointers are faintly visible via Rayleigh[citation needed] scattering when viewed from the side in moderately to dimly lit conditions.
In 1954, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow invented the maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), using ammonia gas and microwave radiation - the maser was invented before the (optical) laser. The technology is very close but does not use a visible light.
On March 24, 1959, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow were granted a patent for the maser. The maser was used to amplify radio signals and as an ultrasensitive detector for space research.
Manchester Evening News I posted a comment earlier on “The Duo” but now the comments button has gone.
Coconut., Manchester (25/09/2008 at 20:48)
Coconut., Manchester (25/09/2008 at 20:53)
The name LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
In 1954, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow invented the maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), using ammonia gas and microwave radiation - the maser was invented before the (optical) laser. The technology is very close but does not use a visible light.
On March 24, 1959, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow were granted a patent for the maser. The maser was used to amplify radio signals and as an ultrasensitive detector for space research.
These laser pens are useless?, why don’t the people who use them go and do something useful, like sticking their tongue on a red hot 100 watt light bulb.
Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (26/09/2008 at 07:33)
Marc (26/09/2008 at 09:11)
I am a Donut, Manchester (26/09/2008 at 13:42)
I am a Donut, Manchester (26/09/2008 at 14:24)
What I mean is, it is pointless selling these pens when the only purpose they seem to be buying them for is to point them at people, and that is what I mean by useless, they also have a purpose if used for the right job, obviously you don't want them being pointed at anyone especially someone flying an aircraft.
it is obvious that this man was a fool and that is why I said to for him to go and stick his tongue on a hot 100 watt light bulb, go and play with himself rather than anyone else.
I was also making a point that some pens have different strengths,
They have has to be passed by the European Directive to say they are safe in the event that the pen went astray and hit someone in the eye.
Obviously you can get a powerful laser that can burn the cataract off the eyes they are used in hospitals. you can use lasers for engraving the list goes on.
The point is the Idiot shouldn't of done it.
Marc, Making a point referring too wikipedia, it doesn't matter, Smarty Pants wanted to Know what lasers where used for, I simply got the information off the internet for him letting him know what they are used for, I was helping him, I wasn't trying to make out I was knowledgeable, I thought that you were not allowed to name any internet sites otherwise I would have given Smarty Pants the address, but now you have pointed this out for Smarty Pants to see, he can go and investigate. Some people make mountains out of mole hills. as the Manchester Evening News says, PlAY the BAll and not the MAN. Donuts.
Marc (26/09/2008 at 14:54)
Okay Donut, point well made about wikipedia. Who are you then? Its not Bob/Bean is it? I'm curious now...
Dennis the Menace, Hyde (27/09/2008 at 01:52)
I fear they will only grow up to be just like him !!!
No wonder society is the way it is with Fathers like this around !!!
Sparky was the best ever (27/09/2008 at 23:24)
How the hell does a blinded heli pilot (or his co-pilot) manage to inform ground colleagues of the lights location, then get someone there fast enough to grab the assailant with the laser pen? Even if he was at home, when the cops turn up, go into the house, stash the pen, then wait for a warrant to arrive, by which time the pen is long gone.
Idiot.
alvinlwh (28/09/2008 at 12:24)
S P In exile, Tameside (28/09/2008 at 18:33)
I worked it out straight away how the pilot became blinded. I shouldn't imagine that the craft has a glass bottom so that rules out flying normally, he must of been flying upside down or sideways.
If this man had chosen another aircraft he would of got away with it, but a police helecopter only a dipstick would choose that.
The Original BLUE Donut, Manchester (28/09/2008 at 18:56)